| “ | The name is... er... Thunderstrike! | „ |
| ~ Eric Masterson. |
| “ | I needed a symbol I could believe in...something or someone...to show me the way back! So I stick with a classic! | „ |
| ~ Thunderstrike. |
Eric Kevin Masterson, also known as Thunderstrike , is a superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Originally a divorced architect, Eric found himself on several adventures with the Norse god and Avenger Thor, and briefly became the latter's successor. After Thor's return from his banishment, Masterson was given a mace named "Thunderstrike", and dubbed himself with the name. Following his death in purging himself from the corruption of Bloodaxe, his son Kevin took on the mantle.
He was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, and first appeared in Thor #391 in January of 1988.
Overview[]
Eric Masterson was a humble architect who stumbled upon a fight between Thor and the Mongoose, who was using a new high tech laser which had proven dangerous even to Thor. When Mongoose stood over Thor and was about to deliver the killing blow, Eric grabbed Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, without thinking and charged at Mongoose. Unimpressed, Mongoose proceeded to blast Eric, nearly killing him. However, the distraction allowed Thor to recover and defeat Mongoose.
Feeling guilty for what happened to Eric, especially since he had shown such courage, Thor begged Odin to save Eric's life. Odin instead merged the two together, similar to how Thor was bonded with Donald Blake. Later, when Loki attacked and Thor killed him, Odin banished Thor as punishment, leaving Eric whole again, but with Mjolnir and the powers of Thor. Eric began a long quest to find Thor and bring him back, even traveling to Mephisto's realm, where he saw a bag with a glowing image of Thor on it before he was brought back from Mephisto's realm by Doctor Strange.
Biography[]
Background[]
Little is known of his past, but Eric Kevin Masterson was born in Long Island, New York to unnamed parents and later became an architect. At some point he fell in love with a woman named Marcy Steele, and the two married and a had a son named Kevin. However, the two ultimately divorced with each allowing each other to see their son.
Meeting Thor[]
In New York, Eric befriended the Norse god Thor, with the latter originally disguising himself as a construction worker named Sigurd Jarlson. Masterson found himself in the sites of some of Thor's enemies, such as the Mongoose when he attacked a construction site or when the villain captured the architect. Despite this, he continued to support Thor on numerous occasions, such as helping him locate Hercules and the High Evolutionary from the Black Galaxy. After one of their adventures, Masterson was critically injured by the Mongoose, but was merged with Thor when the latter pleaded with Odin to save his friend. While merged, the two were able to have separate consciousness and maintain their traits, and battled enemies such as Doctor Doom and the Juggernaut.
While willing to help Thor on his adventures, Eric's personal life started to crumble, with Marcy eventually gaining full custody of their son. His new position also put his friends in danger, such as Susan Austin being nearly killed when the Dweller took over Hercules.
Thor's Successor[]
After breaking Odin's sacred law to kill Loki with his life force, Thor pleaded to have Eric become his successor to not leave Earth vulnerable before he was banished. He initially found the situation uneasy, as he attempted to resemble the original god of thunder in fighting style and tried to convince his teammates that he was same person. Despite this, he found momentum when he abandoned trying to resemble Thor's combat skills when defeating Ulik in his own way, and later battled foes such as the demon Mephisto.
Becoming Thunderstrike[]
Upon Thor's return, Eric was gifted a mace named Thunderstrike, allowing him to continue his adventures as his own superhero. Going by the same name as his mace, Masterson worked with War Machine in assisting Silver Surfer during his time with the Secret Defenders. At some point, he was forced to take the Bloodaxe from his love-interest Jackie Lukus, causing him to become possessed by the weapon's corruption. He then ended his own life to purge himself from the axe, and refused a place in Valhalla following his passing.
Legacy[]
Despite his death, Eric's son Kevin took up his father's mantle after receiving the mace from Captain America.
Powers & Abilities[]
Powers[]
Eric's abilities are derived from the enchanted mace Thunderstrike, made of mystic uru metal, which is nearly indestructible, crafted by the Asgardian dwarves Brokk and Eitri, and given the following enchantments by Odin. Stamping the mace reverts Thunderstrike back to Eric's mortal human form, dressed in whichever clothes he last wore in that form, with any physical damage fully healed with the exception of certain mystical spells such as Seth's Mark of Death, while the mace Thunderstrike transforms into a wooden cane. By stamping his walking stick on the ground Eric Masterson transformed back into his superhuman form, bearded and dressed in the garb of Thunderstrike, while the cane again becomes the mace.
The mace itself can be thrown over great distances and return to the point it is thrown from. By throwing the mace and gripping it strap, Thunderstrike can fly (although the comic emphasizes that this is much rockier and less steady than Thor's flight). He can use the mace to fire powerful concussive blasts of mystical energy. The mace magically enables him to survive the adverse conditions of outer space, including its lack of oxygen. The mace can also be used for tracking various energy sources and has the ability to create mystical vortexes to travel from one place to another.
Thunderstrike's physical abilities are enhanced to superhuman levels, including his strength, speed, durability, agility, reflexes, and endurance. As Thunderstrike, he was one of the strongest heroes in the Marvel Universe, though his strength didn't approach the level of Thor. He can survive in space without the need for oxygen.
Abilities[]
He is a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, and has received some combat training from Captain America.
Gallery[]
